Add as a preferred source on Google

Michigan School District Installs New Gun-Detection Platform

  • By Matt Jones
  • 02/11/25

Williamston Community Schools in Williamston, Mich., recently announced that it has installed the ZeroEyes gun-detection video analytics platform for its five schools, according to a news release. ZeroEyes is the only solution of its kind with a U.S. Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act Designation and adds an AI gun-detection and intelligent situational awareness software layer into existing school security cameras.

The district has a student population of over 2,000 and consists of a preschool, two elementary schools, one elementary school, and one high school. The schools’ existing security measures include secure vestibules, school resource officers (SROs) with a full-time firearm detection dog team, and mental-health initiatives including the suicide-prevention program “Prevent to Protect,” the news release reports.

"ZeroEyes is an important layer of security that complements the efforts that have already been put in place in the district," said Williamston Community Schools Superintendent Adam Spina. "Our security layers combine to create a significantly safer school day for our students and staff."

Funding for the ZeroEyes installation came from Michigan Public Act 103 via a grant specifically for purchasing AI gun-detection software, the news release reports.

The ZeroEyes software sends images of suspected weapons to its operations center, staffed 24/7 by trained law enforcement and military veterans. The staff evaluates the threat and dispatches alerts—including a visual description, gun type, and most recent location—to local law enforcement in as quickly as 3 to 5 seconds after detection, according to the news release.

"The extensive security protocols and systems of Williamston Community Schools reflects the districts' commitment to keeping students and staff safe from gun-related violence," said ZeroEyes CEO and co-founder Mike Lahiff. "The support of Michigan's legislative grant program enabled us to provide proactive gun detection to a number of districts throughout the state. We encourage policymakers to expand the program in 2025 to help protect more schools."

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Uvalde Schools Receive AI Security Technology through Grant Program

    AI-powered gun detection and emergency response technology solutions provider Omnilert recently launched the Save Haven Grant program, according to a news release. The first recipient of the grant, aimed specifically at schools that have faced gun violence, will be the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District (Uvalde CISD) in Uvalde, Texas.

  • University of Rhode Island, Gilbane Partner for Three New Residence Halls

    The University of Rhode Island in Kingston, R.I., recently announced a public-private partnership with construction development firm Gilbane, according to a news release. Gilbane will soon start construction on three new residence halls with a total of 1,100 beds: two with apartment-style suites in northwest campus, and a reconstruction of the Graduate Village Apartments for graduate students.

  • concentric silhouettes of a human head

    How Physical Space Shapes the Mind: Designing for Better Learning Outcomes

    Research in environmental psychology and neuroscience increasingly suggests that the way a room is designed can influence memory, focus, or even a student's sense of belonging.

  • CSU Pueblo Installs Solar-Powered Charging Benches

    Colorado State University Pueblo (CSU Pueblo) recently announced that it has installed four solar-powered charging benches from Bluebolt Outdoor, LLC, according to a news release.

Digital Edition